K1337's collection of short stories
by Kataang1337
Summary: A collection of one shots, exploring the plethora of emotions evoked by the most inexplicable and irrational thing ever: love. Mostly Kataang. #4. Dawn: waking up in the arms of your beloved definitely makes it a good morning.
1. Kataang: Fallen

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**Author's note: The following story is a re-written story of what happened during Crossroads of Destiny**

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Fallen

"I'm sorry, Katara." Aang whispered softly. Despite their distance, Katara heard it clearly. Aang turned away, creating a tent of crystal as he sat down to meditate.

An incredible explosion of spiritual light destroyed the crystalline tent in which the Avatar was meditating in. Every eye in the cavern was focused on the Avatar as he rose out up in a bright pillar of light, eyes and tattoos glowing intensely.

Katara's eyes filled with hope as Aang rose higher. The Avatar State could turn the tides of the battle. Aang was going to save the world, as she always believed he would. But all that hope was cruelly taken away in an instant. The Fire Nation princess who had been biding her time struck with deadly precision. A blinding flash of light erupted from her fingertips.

High up in the air, the Avatar arched backwards. His mouth opened in a scream of pain that never left him. He was suspended in the air momentarily as the lightning traveled throughout his body, exiting from his left foot. And then, he fell.

Azula smiled with grim triumph, smoke still trailing from the tip of her fingers. After a hundred years spent by her forefathers in search of the Avatar, she was the one who had slain the Avatar.

Aang saw the eyes of the Avatar Spirit floating in front of him start to close. The sphere of cosmic energy surrounding him suddenly disappeared. The Avatar Spirit fell to its side. The environment vanished into nothingness as Aang started falling…

Tears flowed from Katara's eyes as she watched in horror. She felt a distant feeling of pain, as if she too were struck by the lightning. _No. It can't be…it can't end like that. _Nothing else mattered now. Katara only saw Aang: the world's last hope, her hero, her savior, her best friend, her crush fall to his doom. The octopus form swirled around her, turning into a massive tidal wave. She had an expression of steely determination as she sent the wave crashing over the Dai Li agents, racing to catch Aang before he hit the ground. She wasn't sure if he was still alive, but she refused to give up hope. There could be a chance that he was alive, no matter how unlikely it was.

Katara caught him just a few feet above the ground. Aang was surprisingly light. There was no breathing, no heartbeat, not even the slightest sign of life at all. He just lay dead in her arms.

Katara looked up at her opponents, unharmed by the tidal wave. She suddenly lost the will to fight. It felt like something within her had died. She embraced the possibility of death as Zuko and Azula advanced on her. In fact, she even welcomed it. For the first time in her life she had learnt the feeling of hopelessness. It felt strangely numb, like falling asleep.

A blast of fire appearing out of nowhere startled everyone. Zuko's uncle jumped between Katara and the Dai Li. "You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" The Dragon of the West ordered, sending fireballs all over the place.

Katara wanted to stay put, to just let it end once and for all, but there was certain forcefulness in Iroh's voice that made her obey. She got to her feet, slinging Aang's arm around her shoulders. As she made her way over to the waterfall, she took a last look at Iroh, who released a powerful breath of fire from his mouth.

Bringing out a large stream of water, Katara wrapped it around her and Aang, propelling them up. She tightened her grip on Aang. It seemed like ages before they had finally reached the top.

"Katara! Aang! Let's get out of here!" Sokka called as he steered Appa to land. Katara was kneeling on the ground, oblivious to her surroundings. Sokka noticed that she was holding Aang, who seemed to be badly injured.

Sokka leapt off Appa, landing lightly. "Come on, Katara. Let's go!" He shouted again. As he got closer, he realized that something was amiss. The way Katara held Aang: she was cradling him.

"Katara…what happened?" Sokka found his own voice a little shaky with fear. He only hoped the scenario wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Katara looked up, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Sokka swallowed hard. Never in his entire life had he seen his sister look so defeated and lost. She had always been the epitome of hope.

"What's going on?" Toph asked as she slid off Appa. "Wait…where's Twinkletoes?"

Sokka glared at her. "_What is she talking about? Aang is lying in Katara's arms."_ He thought silently. And then the truth suddenly hit him. Toph knew where people were because she felt their heartbeats with Earthbending. If she couldn't sense Aang, it could only mean that…

"Toph, Aang is…" Sokka gulped, the word was stuck in his throat. Taking in a deep breath, he forced the remaining word out of his mouth. "Dead." Sokka caught a glimpse of the disbelief and shock on Toph's face before she turned away. The Earth King, sitting in Appa's saddle, lowered his head in grief.

A deep growl from Bosco broke the silence. Sokka was the first to recover. "Katara, come on. We have to leave!" He tried to get Katara to stand up, but she wouldn't budge. Heaving a sigh, he reached out to remove Aang from her tight embrace. But Katara had a death grip on him. She refused to let Aang leave her side.

Helplessly, Sokka called out to Toph. "Help me get her onto Appa. We have to leave now!" Snapping out of her daze, Toph raised a ramp leading up to Appa's head. Together, they pulled Katara to her feet. This time, she offered no resistance.

"Appa, yip-yip!" Sokka yelled, clambering into the saddle. As the magnificent bison lifted off, Sokka turned to look at his sister.

Katara carefully leaned Aang against Appa's shoulders. She suddenly remembered that there was still a chance to save Aang. _But it might not work,_ a tiny voice in her head told her. _I still have to try it,_ Katara thought fiercely as she reached for the amulet given by Master Pakku around her neck. She didn't know exactly what magical properties the water had. All she knew was that if this didn't work, nothing else would.

Removing the amulet, Katara uncapped it, drawing out the small amount of water within. The water spun in circles above her hand, emitting a faint source of light. Ever so gently, Katara slowly pulled Aang up into a sitting position so that she could look at his back. The skin where the lightning had struck was blackened.

Katara could feel the tension of everyone watching as she brought the water over his back, pressing it lightly onto the burn. She watched unblinkingly as the water glowed brighter, covering the wound. _This has to work. Aang can't just die._

The glow faded away, leaving the burn as it was before. Aang had not shown any sign of life at all. Letting out a small whimper devoid of hope, Katara held the fallen Avatar closer as tears started to gather in her closed eyes. Her mind was still rebelliously struggling to fight the facts.

Suddenly, she noticed a weak flash of light through her closed eyes, which was closely followed by a soft groan of pain that could scarcely be heard. There was no mistake about it. With a gasp of joy, Katara pulled Aang away from her, looking at his face. She found two grey, half-opened eyes staring back. Aang managed a weak smile.

Katara's eyes lit up with delight, relief and even love. For what seemed like a small eternity, they simply gazed into each other's eyes, each expressing a complex mix of emotions. Then, Katara pulled Aang to her, embracing him tightly. Aang gave a small sigh of contentment, feeling Katara's hair being blown lightly into his face.

-o-

Back in Ba Sing Se, Azula sat on the throne which was formerly the Earth King's. "We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se." Azula's triumphant voice echoed off the walls in the empty throne room.

"I betrayed Uncle." Zuko, who had been staring silently at the steps leading up to the throne, suddenly said in a regretful tone. The three words were directed at himself, but his sister spoke up anyway.

"No, he betrayed you." Azula paused for awhile, letting it sink in. "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."

"But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?" Zuko asked quietly, looking away uncertainly.

Azula stood up, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. Zuko looked at her sadly. "He doesn't need to, Zuko. Today, you restored your own honor." Azula reassured him.

Zuko turned away, looking down once again. He clearly remembered what that Water Tribe girl had told him when they were in the catacombs.

"_This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I have been saving it for something important.__"_

If what she said was true, then the Avatar might be alive. Zuko forced that thought out of his mind. _No, no one could survive a lightning strike as fatal as that._ The Avatar had fallen for good. However, the less Zuko tried to think about it, the more it kept coming back to him.

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but quickly decided against it. It would be better if nobody finds out. _The Avatar can't be alive. You're thinking too much._

-o-

Katara released Aang, wanting to tell him something. "Aang…" She started softly, only to find that he had fallen unconscious.

"The Earth Kingdom…has fallen." Kuei, the Earth King, announced gravely as he glanced sadly down at Ba Sing Se, which was growing smaller. Toph hung her head in gloom. Sokka stared ahead blankly.

Katara watched the sleeping boy next to her hopelessly, still unwilling to let go of him. As Appa flew over the outer wall of the Earth Kingdom capital, Katara looked onwards at the shadowy and cloudy horizon. The future was bleak.

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**Reviews will be greatly appreciated... :D**


	2. Kataang: Reflections

**Author's note: This takes place after the previous one shot, Fallen.**

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Reflections

It hurt so badly, to see him lying there barely alive. She held his hand tightly, trying to ease his pain. However, it was more to comfort herself. For the past few hours, she had been sitting there, holding his hand and watching him breathe. It had been almost two weeks since Azula had nearly killed him. At first, she was convinced that he would wake up soon. But as time went by, he still remained the same, hardly showing any signs of life.

Her outward show of hope and optimism was only a façade. Deep down, she was infinitely afraid, scared that he would suddenly just leave her forever. Unbidden into her mind came an image of him falling dead to the ground as lightning impaled him. Forcing away that thought, she gazed upon his face, trying to imagine his distinctive grin. But no, all she could see was him lying limp and lifeless. _Dead_.

She gave her head a little shake, determined not to allow her thoughts to stray near that word. It seemed impossible though, to think of anything else when he was dying right in front of her. It was horrible. She felt as if she were dying along with him. Watching him suffer in agony drained the life out of her like a parasite. There was no escape from this dreadful nightmare.

Stifling a yawn, she combated the urge to sleep. She had barely gotten any sleep, spending all her time worrying about him. Moreover, the few hours of sleep that she had gotten in the past few days only yielded more horrifying nightmares. She decided that she could go without sleep, for him. In fact, she could go without anything, even her own life, but only for him.

Focusing on his sleeping form again, she felt a stab of guilt. If it hadn't been for her, Aang would not be in this state right now. If she had seen through Azula's disguise, she wouldn't have been captured. If she hadn't been captured, Aang would not have to save her, and all these would not have happened. Soon, she found herself holding back tears that were threatening to spill.

A soft pained groan from Aang broke her train of thoughts. Katara's eyes lit up for a brief moment, expecting Aang to wake up. It did not happen. _Just as well,_ she thought. If Aang woke up now, he would be in so much pain. It was during times like this that she wished he would never wake up to suffer the pain of his wounds. But could he feel the pain even when unconscious?

"Aang," she whispered softly, despite knowing that he couldn't hear her. "You have to recover…you have to." She rested her forehead on her hands, still holding onto his hand tightly.

"…'Tara, I…you…" Aang muttered weakly, breaking off with a few indistinct words.

Katara looked up. His voice was something she had not heard in a long time. The way he called her name made her heart melt. She allowed tears to flow freely, genuinely smiling for once in days.

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**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Once again, please review. Thank you :)**


	3. Sukka: Duel

**Author's note: Here's a Sukka one shot, the very first one that I've written for Sukka. ^^ Takes place after the finale, at Ba Sing Se.**

**Enjoy.**

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Duel

The rising sun cast a long shadow behind the Kyoshi warrior. She unfurled her war fans, the shiny reflection blinding her opponent momentarily. Suki smiled, taking the opportunity to charge forward.

Sokka blinked, adjusting to the sudden disappearance of the flash of light. He looked up in time to see his adversary leaping at him, fans ready to strike. Holding his ground, the Water Tribe warrior brought his sword up to meet the attack. The clash of their weapons rang through the peaceful morning air.

Suki spun around with alarming alacrity, her elbow striking Sokka directly in the chest. Sokka grunted in pain, stumbling backwards from the momentum of the blow.

"Do you want to concede defeat now, or do you want to get your butt kicked by a _girl_?" Suki smirked. Sokka winced at the memory.

"I was going easy on you, dear." Sokka retorted. Suki felt her cheeks burn slightly at his casual use of the affectionate term. Thankfully, she had her makeup on. "Now, let's see if you can handle _this_." Sokka lunged at her, catching the Kyoshi warrior off guard. Suki stepped to the side as she recovered her focus, narrowly avoiding the tip of Sokka's blade.

"I've been training, you know." Sokka gave a cocky grin, thoroughly annoying his girlfriend.

"Oh, is that so?" Suki asked, her voice marred with sarcasm. Before Sokka could reply, she ran at him again. This time, Sokka was ready. As Suki closed in on him, Sokka raised his sword, slashing at her. But much to his surprise, Suki changed her course, ducking under his arm. By the time Sokka turned around, he felt the air being knocked out of him. Suki had delivered a roundhouse kick to his abdomen, knocking him to the ground. His sword clattered noisily as it landed a few feet away from him. Suki pounced at her boyfriend, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

"_Not good."_ Sokka thought frantically. _"She wants to force me into submission."_ The swordsman quickly rolled to the side, letting Suki land on the solid earth. Fortunately for her, she had held back during her jump, sparing her from the full impact of the landing.

Sokka scrambled to his feet quickly, retrieving his weapon. His eyes narrowed with determination as he watched Suki flip herself upright. With a loud war cry, Sokka launched himself forwards, stabbing at his opponent. Suki parried the attack with one fan, using the other to retaliate. Sokka ducked to the side, easily avoiding the blow.

_The sword is a simple tool, but in the hands of a master it becomes the most versatile of weapons, and just as the imagination is limitless so too are the possibilities of the sword._

Sokka assumed an offensive stance, taking his master's teachings to heart. Without warning, he launched a flurry of attacks, each faster than the previous. This forced the Kyoshi Warrior to show her prowess, deflecting every strike with agility. Sokka watched his adversary carefully, seeking a weak spot in her defenses. He waited; making sure that Suki was unaware of the chink in her defense…

With a quick jab, Sokka broke through the resistance of the fans. His sword aimed straight at Suki's chest. At that moment, he faltered. _"I can't hurt her." _Sokka thought, pulling his sword back slightly.

Suki, however, was undaunted. Her armor strong enough to withstand the jab, and she knew it. She met the look of uncertainty in Sokka's eyes with a seductive gaze, causing him to gape mindlessly at her, dropping his guard completely. Taking advantage of her boyfriend's loss of cerebral functions, she deftly disarmed him. Sokka was only vaguely aware of the loss of weight in his hand. In a practiced motion, Suki slid her war fans into her sleeves. Then, with one hand gripping Sokka's wrist and the other holding the front of his shirt, she proceeded to fling Sokka over her shoulder. The collision with the ground cleared Sokka's mind.

"Rule number one: never let your opponent distract you," Suki teased with a coy smile.

"_Two can play this game."_ Sokka mused darkly, plotting his revenge. "This fight is not over," he declared, picking up his weapon. Suki watched with amusement as he struggled to his feet, his breathing heavy and labored.

_Sokka, concentrate on what you're doing._

Sokka planted his feet firmly on the ground, an unyielding fire burning in his eyes. He had to win this fight. He had to prove to Suki that he was as least as good a warrior as she is. With renewed resolution, Sokka struck with all his might. Rather than meet the sheer force head on, Suki dropped to her knees, her right leg sweeping at Sokka's feet. Sokka pushed hard against the ground, leaping over her. He spun around, aiming another blow at Suki, who skillfully unfurled her fans to parry the attack. She pushed hard against the sword, but neither side budged. It was a stalemate.

Sokka could feel his arms giving way. In a swift motion, he slipped his blade under Suki's hands and brought the flat edge up, sending her fans hurtling through the air. Sokka smiled internally. The fight was now to his advantage.

Or so he thought. Suki reflexively unsheathed the katana hanging from her belt before Sokka could subdue her. Swiftly, she struck her blade against Sokka's sword, ferocity evident in her blue eyes. Neither of them was willing to go down without giving their best.

As the two warriors circled around the same spot, Sokka suddenly came up with a plan: the ultimate plan. _"She'll never see this coming."_

Sokka darted forwards recklessly, completely disregarding his defense. Suki smirked at his antics. It was probably the oldest trick in the book, and there was no way she was going to fall for it. Suki lowered into a crouch, watching with anticipation for any sudden moves. To her dismay, Sokka did nothing of that sort. He ploughed on like an amateur fighter. Now questioning the intellect of her boyfriend, Suki lightly landed the tip of her katana on Sokka's shoulder.

"I win." She said simply. Surprisingly, Sokka grinned lecherously. As Suki raised her eyebrows questioningly, Sokka stepped closer. Out of the blue, his left arm wrapped around Suki's waist while his lips gently brushed against hers. It took a second before Suki's instincts kicked in. The hand wielding the katana went limp and the blade fell to the ground, forgotten. Her fingers locked at the back of his neck, pulling her closer to him. Her heart beat wildly as the taste of his lips drew her further into her own desires.

Then, as sudden as he started it, Sokka pulled away, eliciting a moan of objection from Suki. As Suki opened her eyes, she felt a cold object lightly touch the side of her neck, sending a chill down her spine.

"Rule number one: never let your opponent distract you," Sokka chuckled.

"That's not fair!" Suki pouted in protest. Sokka shrugged. "All is fair in love and war. Besides there wasn't any rule against that."

"There is now. And the penalty is severe."

"Oh no," Sokka exclaimed in mock horror. "Dare I ask what it is, my dear?"

In response, Suki pressed her lips to his.

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**Constructive criticism needed. Please and thank you. :)**


	4. Kataang: Dawn

**Thanks for the reviews :D**

**Just to reply a few of your reviews:**

**KATAANG:** No, I wasn't actually thinking about the Percy Jackson movie while writing that one, although now that you mention it...that scene might have had some influence on the story.

**kdanielle123:** Thanks for pointing that out. My original intention was just to have Sokka unexpectedly kissing Suki when she thought she had him cornered, but as I wrote, that "Rule number one" somehow found its way into the story :P

**Author's note: This Kataang one shot that I have here is one of pure fluff ;) and it takes place approximately 5 years in the future**

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Dawn

Katara was wide awake, but she was reluctant to move away from the warmth of the Avatar's sleeping form. She closed her eyes, reveling in his soothing presence, enjoying the sensation of his warm breath against her neck. Heaving a contented sigh, she snuggled closer to him. In response, the arm that he always draped over her protectively hugged her tighter to him. She paused, wondering if her movements had woken the young man. He mumbled a few indistinct words, before lapsing back into deep sleep. Katara let go of a breath that she never realized she had been holding. It had been such a long time since she had last seen Aang sleeping so peacefully that she was afraid to disturb his tranquil slumber. It was only in his sleep that the young Avatar could temporarily remove the heavy burden of the world that was placed upon his shoulders.

Gently, Katara turned herself around to face her lover, taking extra caution not to awaken him. In his sleeping features, she could still see a trace of the carefree boy that she had rescued from the iceberg years ago. The boy she had adored. The boy who had grown into the man that she was so hopelessly in love with. She smiled tenderly, reminiscing about how she came to realize that her affections for him had slowly developed into something more than what she thought it to be. Without conscious effort, her fingers lightly danced across his cheek. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly at her touch. She found herself inebriated by his delicate smile of satisfaction. It amazed her how he could sense her ministrations even when soundly asleep.

And there she laid; all sense of time forgotten as she affectionately caressed him. Her eyes never left him, intent on committing every minute detail to memory yet again. She watched enthralled as his eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing stormy gray orbs that sparked to life at the sight of his beloved Waterbender.

"Good morning," Katara whispered, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. His eyes burned with passion, wordlessly professing his unyielding love for her. Slowly, he closed the space between them.

"It sure is a good morning, my lovely Katara," Aang murmured, his lips barely touching hers. The implication behind his tone was unmistakable, and it sent a shiver of delight down her spine. He inhaled sharply, taking in her captivating scent.

And then, Aang touched his lips lightly to hers. It was meant to be a chaste and innocent kiss, but when Katara responded with fervor, all hell broke loose.

As her lips parted, the smell of her breath made it impossible to think straight. He was lost, drowning in the overwhelming sensation of her soft lips moving against his own in a familiar pattern. His insides were burning, the hunger pouring from Katara fueling the flames of desire blazing within him. Following instinct, his hands traversed down her body until one of them landed on the small of her back, pulling her closer.

Katara drank in the taste of her lover's lips hungrily, as though she would never be able to satiate the thirst. Her fingers glided over his bare back desperately, yearning for more. When he finally pulled away, the loss of contact caused her lips to follow his, disregarding her lungs' pleas for oxygen.

"Come back here. I wasn't done kissing you," she complained breathlessly when he did not comply. Aang chuckled lightly with amusement.

"Before I do that, I have a question for you."

Katara's eyebrows arched as she gazed meaningfully at him, waiting.

"Why were you staring at me just now?"

"Because I love you," her reply came quick and naturally.

"I like the sound of that," he smiled. The response elicited a giggle. "But it's still a little vague. Care to elaborate?"

A moment of contemplative silence passed as she tried to come up with an answer.

"You look so peaceful when you're asleep," she explained.

"Only because you're with me," he grinned, earning an alluring blush from Katara.

"It's not fair that the world keeps taking you for granted," she sighed after a long, comfortable silence. "It's not fair that they expect you to solve every one of their problems.

"Katara," Aang professed her name with warm affection that caused her heart to skip a beat. "As the Avatar, it is my duty to help the world."

"I know that," she answered patiently. "But surely they don't need the help of the Avatar for every trivial matter."

"Maybe you're right," he responded thoughtfully. "I guess I could postpone today's meeting with the Earth King."

"What? No, Aang. I didn't mean it that way! A meeting like that must be important!"

"It might be," he shrugged nonchalantly. "But its importance pales in comparison to you."

"But…" Katara protested, only to be silenced by the Avatar's lips brushing against hers, impossibly conveying the depth of his love for her in a single kiss.

"You are the most important person to me ever," Aang whispered when he finally pulled away, gazing deep into her brilliant blue eyes. His hand reached out to gently brush a few strands of hair from her forehead.

"Without you, I would never have been able to end the war and bring peace to this world. Without you, there wouldn't be much meaning to my life. You are more important to me than anything in the world, Katara. Never forget that."

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**Somehow it had managed to turn out longer than I expected...and better too.**

**See the review button down there? Please click it. :D Kthxbye**


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